Wicked
Title: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Author: Gregory Maguire
Publication Year: 1995
Genre: Fantasy
I’ll admit to having read this 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire because of the acclaimed Broadway musical this book inspired. After seeing Wicked while in London with my father, I decided that I would give its original source a read over the summer. There’s no denying that the novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, differs from the musical version in some areas: the different portrayal of characters, the significance of objects, and change in the plot are all evident. The book, though dealing with magical elements, focused greatly on the role of politics over society and the question of what makes a person “wicked” among other themes. Elphaba, our protagonist, is born green. She’s a unique character, strong-willed, misunderstood, and a defender of those in need. The novel describes Elphaba (who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West) and her connections with characters from the original story of The Wizard of Oz while adding some much-needed background. Some original characters receive complete revamps in this version of the story while other characters are added (done perhaps in an effort to further humanize her).
Map illustration of Oz found in the first pages of Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of the West
The Wizard of Oz used to terrify me as a little girl. It was mostly because of how terrifying the Wicked Witch of the West was with her cackling, bright screen skin, and an army of flying monkeys trying to hurt a little girl. Wicked turns that entire story on its head and offers an entirely different (and unexpected perspective) of the famous story. I’ve read quite a few stories in the past that serve as rewritten versions of classic fairytales. None of them tugged on my heartstrings like this one. It became very clear to me from the beginning how this novel has continued to be so influential since its release. In fact, a movie version is rumored to be in production right now! Wicked won’t lose its popularity anytime soon.
“People who claim that they’re evil are usually no worse than the rest of us... It’s people who claim they’re good, or any better than the rest of us, that you have to be wary of.” - Gregory Maguire
This novel is ridiculously well-written and memorable. The only grudge I held against it was its number of seemingly unnecessary scenes sprinkled in the middle of the novel. The same goes for some of the uninfluential characters as well. If you’re a reader that appreciates intricate plots and backstories, you’ll absolutely love it. Also, the novel is the first of The Wicked Years series, so be sure to give those a read too if you enjoy this one. As always readers, feel free to comment down below and let me know how you feel about the book! Check in soon for my next post: a book review of the sweet novel Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern.
Bisous,
Maya.